Method and apparatus for removing the crane deck from a crane carrier



Feb. 7, 1967 A. W. BROWN ETAL 3,302,30fi

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING THE CRANE DECK FROM A CRANE CARRIER Flled Jan 6 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS ,QRtI/ER 520W RmzzrM ffluP/STMAWM Feb 1967 A. W. BROWN ETAL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING THE CRANE DECK FROM A CRANE CARRIER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 6, 1965 7, 1967 A. w. BROWN ETAL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING THE GRAND DECK FROM A CRANE CARRIER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 6, 1965 FIE. 5'

llllhllllll' lllllll l JIIHIIII'I INVENTORS JIM/Ia? W .Ekowa Pom-Hr iddwelsnwwn/ Miran/mm W Fwd, 1.96] A. w. BROWN ETAL 3,302,806

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING THE CRANE DECK FROM A CRANE CARRIER Filed Jan. 6, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ,IHH LWJLLLWLWM m1 mm rmmmm United States Patent 1 3,302,806 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING THE CRANE DECK FROM A CRANE EARRER Archer W. Brown, Minneapolis, Minn, and Robert W. Christmann, Glendale, Mo., assignors to American Hoist & Derrick Company, St. Paul, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Filed Jan. 6, 1965, Ser. No. 423,810 7 Claims. (Cl. 214-38) The present invention has. relation to an apparatus for transferring the upper deck of a mobile crane from the crane carrier to another transport vehicle so that the two crane units can be separated for transport, and a method for accomplishing the transfer.

At the present time there are several States where the road load limits severely restrict the size of mobile cranes which can be driven on the highways. When large cranes cannot be used, the tasks of contractors becomes greater and the length of time spent on each job is necessarily longer. Some jobs require extremely large cranes and if a mobile crane cannot be driven to the site, a large crane must be disassembled, transported to the site, and reassembled at tremendous costs.

Ithas long been customary to remove sections of the boom and transport them separately from the crane itself, but this does not reduce the weight sufficiently to get below the legal load limits in many States.

The device of the present invention, as disclosed, presents a structure for removing an upper deck assembly from a mobile crane and moving it onto a separate semitrailer bed. In this manner the heavy crane base or carrier can be driven to a job location and the upper deck separately transported.

As shown, the device and the method of operating the device include providing a pair of rails on a fiat semitrailer bed with a dolly which moves on these rails. Rails are also provided on the crane carrier. The flat bed is positioned adjacent to the crane carrier or base, and the two units, the fiat bed and the crane base are joined together so that the rails on the crane base form an extension of provided rails on the trailer. A winch provided at the forward end of the trailer is used for moving the dolly into position underneath the crane upper deck. Suitable hoist means are provided for raising the crane deck (cab, boom, power unit, controls, etc.) oit the crane roller path and clear of any obstructions and so that the weight of the upper deck is supported on the dolly.

The dolly is then winched back onto the fiat bed along the rails until the crane upper deck is completely supported on the flat bed. The flat bed and the crane base are then disengaged from each other and the two units can be transported separately.

When the crane upper deck is again to be placed on to the base the process is reversed. An important feature is that the crane upper deck does not have to be disassembled or modified, the transfer is rapid, easily carried out, and works with practically all cranes.

It is an object of the present invention to present a device for permitting the removal of an upper deck of a mobile crane from its base or carrier and a method of doing the same.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a mobile crane and showing a flat bed trailer in position to receive the crane upper deck from the crane carrier;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device of FIG. 1 illustrating the first step for placing the crane upper deck onto a transport dolly used with the device of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the device of FIG. 1

showing the crane upper deck being moved onto the flat bed;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the crane upper deck in position on the flatbed trailer;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side elevational view of the crane base showing a dolly in position under the upper deck and also showing hydraulic rains utilized to support the deck on the dolly;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken as on line 66 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view showing the crane upper deck supported on the dolly; and

FIG. 8 is a rear elevational View of the crane showing Outriggers that can be used for raising the rear portions of the crane carrier in order to provide a common support for the flat bed and carrier.

Referring to the dawings and the numerals of reference thereon, a mobile crane illustrate-d generally at 10 includes a crane carrier or base 11 which has longitudinally extending main beams 12; forward support wheels 13 and rear drive and support wheels 14. A cab 15 is provided for an operator of the unit during over the road transportation.

The longitudinally extending frame members 12 support a circular roller path 16 on which an upper deck assembly 17 of the crane is mounted. The roller path 16 includes an internal gear 20 with which a pinion 21 meshes. The pinion 21 is on the crane upper deck and is driven from a suitable power source (not shown) also enclosed in the upper deck housing or cab 22. In addition, a center mounting pin 23 is provided on the crane base in the center of the roller path and a sleeve 24 on the crane upper deck is mounted over this pin.

The crane upper deck 17 includes main frame members 25 which support the cab 22 and the upper deck and also has a bracket 26 on which a boom 27 is pivotally mounted as at 28. erated from control winches inside the cab. The cables 31 pass over sheaves 32 at the outer end of a folding mast assembly 33, which is shown in its folded position.

The mobile crane is a conventional unit available on the market and the particular type of crane or the particular construction of the crane itself does not form a part of the invention. Of course, slight modifications in structure and in the method of removing the crane can be made in order to accommodate different types of cranes, if necessary.

As shown, only a stub section of the boom 27 is still attached to the mobile crane. The cables 31 are controlled by the internal winch shown on the dotted lines in FIG. 1. The mast 33 is actually held down by telescoping struts 35 tied or anchored to a bracket 34 at the rear of the crane upper deck.

At intermediate and rear portion of the crane carrier 11 pairs of hydraulically actuated outriggers 36 are provided. The Outriggers are mounted on a main frame 41 fixed to the frame of the carrier. Support members 38, 38 telescope into the main mounting frame 41 and extend outwardly on opposite sides thereof. A pair of cylinders 42, 42 are mounted on the opposite ends of the support members. The rod portions of the cylinders 42 extend downwardly toward the ground and have feet members 37, 37 attached thereto. The rod portions of the cylinders can be extended and retracted through suitable valves in a conventional manner. By extending the cylinders, the rear portions of the crane carrier 11 can be supported on the Outriggers.

A heavy duty fiat bed semi-trailer" 50 is utilized in combination with the crane carrier of the present invention. The semi-trailer 50 has a semi-trailer-tractor 51 for moving the trailer over the ground. The trailer 50 haslongi- Suitable control cables 31 are op;

tudinally extending support beams 52 and a flat bed top 53 supported on the beams 52. A pair of steel rails 54 are mounted on the top of the flate bed and extend in longitudinal direction. The rails are spaced apart and parallel.

A dolly assembly 55 is mounted onto the rails 54 and has four wheels 56 which roll along the rails. Two of the wheels are on each side of the dolly. The dolly also has suitable bracing 57 in order to give it adequate strength.

The dolly 55 is controlled for movement along the rails through the use of a pair of cables 58 and 59 which are in turn controlled from a suitable winch 61. The Winch 61 can be of any suitable type which will reel in one cable while paying out another cable. This can be done either with two drums or with a cable being paid out adjacent one end of a winch drum and reeled in adjacent the'other end of the drum.

In practicing the method of the invention, first the outer portions of the crane boom are removed in the usual manner and the upper deck of the crane is prepared for transport as shown in FIG. 1. The semi-trailer 50 is backed into position so that the outer end portions 62 of the rails 54 set within provided receptacles 63 which are defined in the main frame of the outriggers.

A block 80 is placed on brackets 81 which are fixed to the main frame 41 of the Outriggers and extend rearwardly therefrom. The block 80 is of size so that it will engage a bumper 82 fixedly attached to the hear of the trailer.

Once the semi-trailer 50 has been properly positioned, the Outriggers are used to raise the rear portions of the crane carrier 11 until the outer end portions 62 of the rails 54 are actually supported on the bottoms of the pockets 63 and the trailer itself is supported on block 80 and brackets 81 through the bumper 82. When this occurs, the rails 54 will be aligned with and form continuations of rails 64 mounted on the crane carrier. The rails 64 are also parallel and spaced apart and the wheels or rollers 56 on the dolly 55 will roll on the rails 6 The supporting of the trailer and the rails 54 on the carrier insures good alignment and support to get smooth rolling of' the dolly.

Once the outrigger-s have raised the crane carrier sufficiently so that the rails 54' and the rear portions of the semi-trailer are supported on the carrier, the dolly 55 will have a continuous path leading from the semi-trailer to the crane carrier. The rails will not bend at the junction.

The cables 58 and 59 are then unreeved from the winch and a snatch block 66 is attached to the crane carrier adjacent the roller path. The cable 58 is then attached to a suitable bracket 68 on the dolly and the cable 59 is passed through the snatch block and is attached to a bracket 67 on the dolly. By operating the winch 61 the dolly can be moved along the rails 54 and 64 toward or away from the crane carrier.

As shown in FIG. 1, the winch 61 is operated to move the dolly 55 toward the crane carrier. The upper deck 17 is rotated to position as shown in FIG. 2 to provide clearance for the dolly and the dolly is moved to position as shown in FIGS. and 6. The dolly is placed tightly against the roller path so that it is properly positioned under the upper deck. The upper deck is then rotated to position as shown in FIG. 1 and the hook rollers are released from the roller path, as well as all other guides that hold the upper deck on the roller path. Usually, the center of gravity of the upper deck falls behind the forward rollers of the dolly and also behind the provided support rams for supporting the crane deck, which Will be described.

Suitable hydraulic rams 70 (three as shown) are attached to cross members 71 of the upper deck. The rams 70 are compressed when the dolly is initially positioned and are properly aligned with the dolly members. After all the hook rollers on the upper deck are removed the upper deck is merely resting on load rollers which rest on the roller path. The construction of the roller path and rollers supporting the upper deck is conventional.

The rams 70 are then extended uniformly and sequentially by introducing fluid under pressure into the interior of the rams. A hand pump 72 can be used for raising the rams. After the upper deck has been raised a sufficient amount so that the pinion 21 clears the roller path and the sleeve 24 clears the pin 23, the winch 61 is again operated by using known controls so that the cable 58 is under tension and pulls the dolly, together with the supported upper deck 17 along the rails 64 past the junction between the carrier and semi-trailer and along the rails 54% onto the semi-trailer. This position is shown in FIG. 3. Suitable blocking 73 is then placed under the frame members of the upper deck as shown in FIG. 4. The blocking is placed both at the forward and rear portions of the frame. The hydraulic rams 71 are then released slowly so that the deck will be lowered down onto the blocking.

The upper deck is then securely bound down to the semi-trailer using chains and load binders or other links which are well known in the art so that it is securely fastened to the trailer. The winch cables are then removed from the crane carrier.

The hydraulic Outriggers of the crane carrier are released so that the crane carrier will be lowered down to position wherein the rails 54 are not supported in the pockets 63 and the trailer is also free. The crane carrier can then be moved away from the trailer. If desired, the stub boom 27 can be used for removing the rear outrigger housing from the crane carrier or for removing other equipment from the crane carrier, if this is necessary. The binding down of the crane deck onto the semitrailer gives adequate stability for these minor operations.

The stub boom is then lowered to its travel clearance position as shown in FIG. 4 by operating the winch for the cable 31. Then both the semi-trailer and the crane carrier are ready to be driven to the next location. In this Way the extremely heavy crane carrier, which must be very sturdy to support the crane base during its working operations, and the upper deck, which is also heavy, can be moved as separate units.

It has been found that hydraulic rams made by the Hem-Werner Corporation of Waukesha, Wisconsin, are suitable for the lifting of the upper deck. The rams 70 are threaded so that they can be attached to studs on the crane deck.

When the upper deck and the crane carrier have reached the new working location, the process is reversed. The stub boom will be raised up, and the carrier will be backed into position so that the end portions 62 of the rails 54 fit within the pockets 63. The rear portions of the crane carrier will then he raised with the Outriggers to support the rails 54 and the rear portions of the trailer. This will make a continuous rail as far as the carrying of the Weight of the crane upper deck on the rails is concerned.

The load binders and the tie downs for the crane deck will be removed, the hydraulic rams 70 will be extended to support the weight of the upper deck of the crane on the dolly 35 and the snatch block will again be placed into its position adjacent roller path on the crane carrier.

The winch 61 will then be actuated to pull the dolly onto the crane carrier so that the crane deck is positioned with the sleeve 24 overlying the pin 23. The rams 71 will then be lowered and the crane deck will be properly positioned on the roller path. The hook rollers for the upper deck will be placed in position on the roller path, the dolly and cables will be removed from the carrier, and the outriggers again released so that the rails 54 are no longer supported in pockets 63. The semi will then be pulled away and the crane unit will be ready to operate as soon as the counterweight and crane boom have been fully installed.

It is extremely important that the outer ends of the rails of the semi are supported in suitable alignment with the rails 64 on the carrier. By actually supporting the weight of the semi on the Outriggers these rails will not shift position when the dolly moves across the junction between the rails 5 and 64. The pockets 63 serve as alignment means for the rails 54 and 64 both in transverse and vertical directions. The block 80 is of suitable size so that the rails 54 are properly supported in the pockets 63 at the same time that the trailer is supported.

If desired, the center of gravity of the upper deck can be ahead of the forward rams. A suitable tension member can be placed to hold the crane base onto the rear portion of the dolly and prevent it from tipping forwardly and off the front rams.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of transporting a crane upper deck assembly separately from its normal wheel mounted crane carrier, said crane upper deck assembly including a crane deck, a cab mounted thereon, and a boom having a first section thereof pivotally mounted with respect thereto, and said crane carrier having an upper platform, comprising the steps of:

providing a separate mobile carrier having an upper deck, aligning said separate mobile carrier with the crane carrier to bring said carrier platform and said mobile carrier upper deck into horizontal alignment, moving a dolly along the upper deck of the mobile carrier onto the upper platform of the crane carrier,

separating the crane upper deck assembly from the crane carrier by elevating said deck assembly and supporting it on the dolly,

moving the dolly and said upper deck assembly together over the upper platform of the crane carrier onto the mobile carrier, and

transporting said crane carrier and said mobile carrier separately to a desired location for use on said upper deck assembly and crane carrier combination.

2. The method of claim 1 including the further steps of providing rails on the upper deck of said mobile carrier, and providing aligning rails on the upper platform of said crane carrier, said dolly being adapted to move along said rails.

3. The method of claim 2. including the further step of supporting portions of each aligning rail at the junctions thereof on one of said carriers.

4-. The method of claim 1 including the further step of temporarily supporting said crane base assembly with respect to said mobile carrier independently of said dolly 6 before transporting said mobile carrier to the desired new location of said upper deck assembly and crane carrier combination.

5. The method of claim 1 including the further step of supporting the rear of said mobile carrier on the rear of said crane carrier before moving said dolly and deck assembly onto said mobile carrier.

6. The method of claim 5 including the further step of at least partially supporting said crane carrier independently of its wheel mounting before moving said dolly and deck assembly onto said mobile carrier.

7. The combination with a mobile crane having a wheel mounted crane carrier provided with an upper platform and a crane upper deck assembly normally rotatably mounted in bearing relation with respect to said crane carrier upper platform, said crane upper deck assembly including a crane upper deck, a cab mounted thereon, and at least a first section of a boom pivotally mounted with respect thereto; of means for providing for over-the-road transportation of said crane carrier, said means including:

a wheel mounted mobile carrier having an upper deck,

spaced, parallel rails mounted on said upper deck and extending rearwardly therefrom, a dolly mounted for movement along said rails, spaced, parallel rails mounted on said upper platform of said crane carrier and adapted to be in adjacent, longitudinal alignment wit-h said mobile carrier rails to receive and carry said dolly when the rear end of said mobile carrier is placed in contiguous relation to the rear end of said crane carrier, load bearing pockets on said crane carrier in position to underly said mobile carrier rail extensions when said rear ends are in such contiguous relationship,

means to move said dolly along said rails to and from position under said cr-ane deck assembly from and to position on said mobile carrier, and

lift means to support said crane deck assembly clear of said crane carrier and on said dolly.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,676,072 7/ 1928 Brockway. 1,939,684 12/1933 Fykse et a1. 214152 2,831,588 4/1958 Seed 214-38 GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT G. SHERIDAN, Examiner. 

1. THE METHOD OF TRANSPORTING A CRANE UPPER DECK ASSEMBLY SEPARATELY FROM ITS NORMAL WHEEL MOUNTED CRANE CARRIER, SAID CRANE UPPER DECK ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A CRANE DECK, A CAB MOUNTED THEREON, AND A BOOM HAVING A FIRST SECTION THEREOF PIVOTALLY MOUNTED WITH RESPECT THERETO, AND SAID CRANE CARRIER HAVING AN UPPER PLATFORM, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: PROVIDING A SEPARATE MOBILE CARRIER HAVING AN UPPER DECK, ALIGNING SAID SEPARATE MOBILE CARRIER WITH THE CRANE CARRIER TO BRING SAID CARRIER PLATFORM AND SAID MOBILE CARRIER UPPER DECK INTO HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT, MOVING A DOLLY ALONG THE UPPER DECK OF THE MOBILE CARRIER ONTO THE UPPER PLATFORM OF THE CRANE CARRIER, SEPARATING THE CRANE UPPER DECK ASSEMBLY FROM THE CRANE CARRIER BY ELEVATING SAID DECK ASSEMBLY AND SUPPORTING IT ON THE DOLLY, MOVING THE DOLLY AND SAID UPPER DECK ASSEMBLY TOGETHER OVER THE UPPER PLATFORM OF THE CRANE CARRIER ONTO THE MOBILE CARRIER, AND TRANSPORTING SAID CRANE CARIER AND SAID MOBILE CARRIER SEPARATELY TO A DESIRED LOCATION FOR USE ON SAID UPPER DECK ASSEMBLY AND CRANE CARRIER CONBINATION.
 7. THE COMBINATION WITH A MOBILE CRANE HAVING A WHEEL MOUNTED CRANE CARRIER PROVIDED WITH AN UPPER PLATFORM AND A CRANE UPPER DECK ASSEMBLY NORMALLY ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN BEARING RELATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID CRANE CARRIER UPPER PLATFORM, SAID CRANE UPPER DECK ASSEMBLY INCLIDING A CRANE UPPER DECK, A CAB MOUNTED THEREON, AND AT LEAST A FIRST SERCTION OF A BOOM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED WITH RESPECT THERETO; OF MEANS FOR PROVIDING FOR OVER-THE-ROAD TRANSPORTATION OF SAID CRANE CARRIER, SAID MEANS INCLUDING: A WHEEL MOUNTED MOBILE CARRIER HAVING AN UPPER DECK, SPACED, PARALLEL RAILS MOUNTED ON SAID UPPER DECK AND EXTENDING REWARDLY THEREFORM, A DOLLY MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT ALONG SAID RAILS, SPACED, PARALLEL RAILS MOUNTED ON SAID UPPER PLATFORM OF SAID CRANE CARRIER AND ADAPTED TO BE IN ADJACENT, LONGITUDINAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID MOBILE CARRIER RAILS TO RECEIVE AND CARRY SAID DOLLY EHRN THE REAR END OF SAID MOBILE CARRIER IS PLACED IN CONTIFUOUS RELATION TO THE REAR END OF SAID CRANE CARRIER, LOAD BEARING POCKETS ON SAID CRANE CARRIER IN POSITION TO UNDULY SAID MOBILE CARRIER RAIL EXTENSIONS WHEN SAID REAR ENDS ARE IN SUCH CONTIGUOUS RELATIONSHIP, MEANS TO MOVE SAID DOLLY ALONG SAID RAILS TO AND FROM POSITION UNDER SAID CRANE DECK ASSEMBLY FROM AND TO POSITION ON SAID MOBILE CARRIER, AND LIFT MEANS TO SUPPORT SAID CRANE DECK ASSEMBLY CLEAR OF SAID CRANE CARRIER AND ON SAID DOLLY. 